THE INFLUENCE OF MATTERING ON WOMEN’S PERCEIVED FAIRNESS OF THE DIVISION OF HOUSEHOLD LABOR

by Kawamura, Sayaka

Abstract (Summary)

Using the data on married women from the Marital Instability over the Life Course (2003, Wave six, N = 489), this research examines the influence of mattering, which refers to the level of care perceived by spouses, on women’s perceived fairness of the division of household labor. This study finds that the more a wife believes she matters to her husband, the more likely she is to perceive the division of household labor is fair. This study also finds that the two types of mattering positively interact in their effects on wives’ perceived fairness of the division of household labor, meaning that higher levels of perceptions of both types of mattering are associated with especially high likelihoods of perceived fairness. This study demonstrates that mattering from one’s spouse explains a part of women’s sense of fairness regardless of objective distribution of household labor.